The Cleveland Cavaliers are 12-0 thanks to a 119-113 win over the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Monday night. The Cavaliers are the eighth team to start a season 12-0 and the first since the 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors. That year’s Warriors did not lose a game until December 12, starting the season 24-0.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers in the win with 36 points and 8 rebounds on 12-for-26 shooting (7-for-16 from downtown). Darius Garland (7-for-17) scored 17 points and Evan Mobley put up a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double. For Mitchell, it was the third time this season that he has scored 30 points or more. He scored 30 on October 26 in a 19-point win against Washington and 30 in a one-point win over the Milwaukee Bucks on November 2.
Zach LaVine was tops for the Bulls (4-7) with 26 points on 12-for-20, while Coby White and Nikola Vucevic each scored 20. Both teams made the same amount of shots (43), with the Cavaliers taking 10 more (97) to the Bulls’ 87. The Bulls had a 51-43 rebounding advantage in the loss.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 45 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder (9-2) over the Los Angeles Clippers (6-5) by a score of 134-128.
Gilgeous-Alexander also had 9 assists and 5 steals, becoming the first Thunder player with 45-plus points and 5-plus steals in a single game. He made 13-of-21 shots, and was 4-for-8 from the three-point line while going 15-for-16 from the charity stripe.
Jalen Williams put up 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists on 11-for-16 shooting. Williams’ night was the type of output that the Thunder will need as Chet Holmgren misses the next 8-10 weeks with a right iliac wing fracture.
Norman Powell (10-for-15 from the field, 5-for-8 from three) led the Clippers with 31 points, while Ivica Zubac put up 22 points and 14 rebounds on 9-for-12 shooting. James Harden (17 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists) was just 5-for-15 from the field. Harden is shooting just 36 percent on the season.
Around the League
Rockets 107 (7-4)
Wizards 92 (2-7)
Sengun: 27 PTS, 17 REB
Kuzma: 18 PTS
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Nets 107 (5-6)
Pelicans 105 (3-8)
Thomas: 17 PTS (4-for-5 3PT)
Ingram: 24 PTS, 9 AST (10-for-24 FG)
Thomas hit a left wing triple with 32.5 seconds on the clock to give the Nets a 106-105 lead. Brandon Ingram missed a driving shot that would have put the Pelicans in front 107-106.
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Spurs 116 (5-6)
Kings 96 (6-5)
Wembanyama: 34 PTS, 14 REB, 6 AST, 3 BLK
Paul: 12 PTS, 11 AST
Sabonis: 23 PTS, 12 REB (11-for-19 FG)
Fox: 24 PTS
The most impressive play from Wembanyama was an interior block on Domantas Sabonis, who pump-faked Wembanyama initially, getting him in the air. Wembanyama recovered quickly, turning his body as his foot hit the floor to meet Sabonis, who spun for a lefty jump hook, at the rim.
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Emirates NBA Cup group play begins Tuesday night with eight games.
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